Science Diplomacy in International Relations

Science diplomacy encompasses the deliberate use of scientific collaborations and knowledge exchange to advance diplomatic goals, support foreign policy objectives and address transnational challenges. It operates through three complementary pathways: science in diplomacy, whereby scientific expertise informs diplomatic decision-making; diplomacy for science, in which diplomatic channels facilitate international research cooperation; and science for diplomacy, where joint scientific endeavours foster mutual trust and improve bilateral or multilateral relations. Over the past decade, science diplomacy has matured into a strategic tool for governments, intergovernmental bodies and non-state actors to confront global issues such as climate change, pandemic preparedness, biodiversity loss and digital security. Its practice spans ad hoc research partnerships, formal institutional arrangements and the establishment of policy instruments that embed scientific advice within foreign affairs. By integrating the norms of open inquiry and evidence-based analysis into international relations, science diplomacy seeks both to depoliticise contentious topics—such as Arctic resource management—and to harness competitive dynamics in the service of collective innovation. Concrete applications range from collaborative vaccine development networks to joint polar research stations, illustrating how science can serve as both a bridge between cultures and a mechanism for trust-building in an increasingly multipolar world.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have examined the role of policy instruments in shaping science diplomacy, notably through the emergence of dedicated science and innovation centres established abroad. Comparative analyses of such centres in Europe reveal how national priorities and geopolitical ambitions determine institutional design, mandate and operational focus. Other work has revisited the origins of environmental governance, showing how scientific advocacy during Sweden’s diplomatic intervention in the late 1960s laid the groundwork for the seminal 1972 Stockholm Conference. These investigations demonstrate that science diplomacy is both an instrument of statecraft and a historical process by which scientific ideas have been mobilised to construct global policy frameworks.

Science Diplomacy in International Relations publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in science diplomacy in international relations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Science diplomacy: The use of scientific cooperation and expertise to support diplomatic objectives and international policy-making.

Science in diplomacy: The integration of scientific advice and analysis into diplomatic discussions and negotiation processes.

Diplomacy for science: The use of diplomatic channels and agreements to facilitate international research collaboration and resource-sharing.

Science for diplomacy: Joint scientific projects and exchanges that build trust, mutual understanding and stronger bilateral or multilateral relationships.

References

1. Scientists and scientific organizations need to play a greater role in science diplomacy. PLOS Biology (2022).
2. Conceptualizing science diplomacy in the practitioner-driven literature: a critical review. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2020).
3. Between global collaboration and national competition: Unraveling the many faces of Arctic science diplomacy. Polar Record (2022).
4. Lifting the smokescreen of science diplomacy: comparing the political instrumentation of science and innovation centres. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2020).
5. The Swedish initiative and the 1972 Stockholm Conference: the decisive role of science diplomacy in the emergence of global environmental governance. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2021).
6. Science diplomacy from the Global South: the case of intergovernmental science organizations. Science and Public Policy (2023).